Moisture absorbing anti-leak undergarments

ABSTRACT

Undergarments that are uniquely constructed to absorb fluids, such as those associated with sweat and lactation, in either prescribed areas of the undergarment or throughout the totality thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/969,705 filed May 2, 2018 and entitled “MOISTURE ABSORBING ANTI-LEAKUNDERGARMENTS,” now U.S. Pat. No. 10,786,016 issued Sep. 29, 2020, whichrelates to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/501,013 filed May 3, 2017 and entitled “MOISTURE-WICKING ANTI-LEAKUNDERGARMENTS,” the specification and drawings of which are provided asAppendix A hereto, incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to wearing apparel and, morespecifically, to undergarments that that are uniquely constructed toabsorb fluids, such as those associated with sweat and lactation, ineither prescribed areas of the undergarment or throughout the totalitythereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Undergarments may provide several functions, such as shaping thewearer's body, supporting parts of the body (e.g., during exercise), andoffering protection to outer clothing. Undergarments can includeeverything from men's undershirts and women's brassieres or bras totheir underwear.

Wearing a garment to support the chests or breasts may date back toancient Greece. Women wore an apodesmos, later stēthodesmē, mastodesmosand mastodeton, all meaning “breast-band”, a band of wool or linen thatwas wrapped across the chests or breasts and tied or pinned at the back.Fragments of linen textiles found in East Tyrol in Austria dated tobetween 1440 and 1485 are believed to have been bras. Two of them hadcups made from two pieces of linen sewn with fabric that extended to thebottom of the torso with a row of six eyelets for fastening with a laceor string. One had two shoulder straps and was decorated with lace inthe cleavage. From the 16th century, the undergarments of wealthierwomen in the Western world were dominated by the corset, which pushedthe breasts upwards. In the later 19th century, clothing designers beganexperimenting with alternatives, splitting the corset into multipleparts: a girdle-like restraining device for the lower torso, and devicesthat suspended the breasts from the shoulder to the upper torso.

Women have played a large part in the design and manufacture of the bra,accounting for half the patents filed. The Dresden-based GermanChristine Hardt patented the first modern brassiere in 1899. SigmundLindauer from Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, developed a brassierefor mass production in 1912 and patented it in 1913. It wasmass-produced by Mechanischen Trikotweberei Ludwig Maier and Cie. inBöblingen, Germany. In the United States, Mary Phelps Jacob received apatent in 1914 for the first brassiere design that is recognized as thebasis for modern bras. Mass production in the early-20th century madethe garment widely available to women in the United States, England,Western Europe, and other countries influenced by western fashion. Metalshortages in World War I encouraged the end of the corset. Bras wereinitially manufactured by small production companies and supplied toretailers. The term “cup” was not used until 1916, and manufacturersrelied on stretchable cups to accommodate different sized breasts. Womenwith larger or pendulous breasts had the choice of long-line bras,built-up backs, wedge-shaped inserts between the cups, wider straps,power latex, firm bands under the cup, and light boning.

Typically, bras are form-fitting undergarments that perform the functionof supporting a woman's breasts. Swimsuits, camisoles, and backlessdresses may be made with built-in support. Bras are complex garmentsmade of many parts, with standards and methods of measurement varyingwidely. Men's undershirts are also form-fitting undergarments.

A common problem faced by men and women is when they sweat due to hotflashes, other medical conditions such as hyperhidrosis, anxiety, etc.,due to heat and other weather conditions, or because they have largebreasts, the sweat seeps through the undergarments to their outergarment. Many people also suffer from primary local hyperhidrosis. Thesymptoms of primary focal hyperhidrosis are fairly specific. It's called“local” because it only affects specific parts of the body, such as theunderarms, breasts/chest, groin, etc. Symptoms also tend to besymmetrical, occurring on both sides equally. Women, especially withbigger breasts, suffer from localized sweats, especially under theirbreasts. Many women have a tendency to perspire around their bra line,especially when under stress, at work, or when performing physicalactivity. Excessive unwanted perspiration can result in embarrassingodors, sweat stains, or eventually discoloration of the surroundingclothes. Excessive perspiration can also lead to the need to constantlywash the affected bras, which increases the amount of wear and tear onthose bras and thus requires that they be replaced more often. It can beexpensive to have to constantly replace worn down bras, especially forwomen with a unique bra size who must specially order bras to fit theirspecific measurements. A similar problem is also faced by men who havemale breasts. However, conventional undergarments do not help preventthe seeping or transmission of sweat from the body of the wearer to theouter garment.

Another problem is leaking that is related to breastfeeding. For all ofthe known benefits of breastfeeding, one major challenge is leaking.Leaking or spraying breasts are a natural part of a woman's nursingexperience. Leaking can occur when the milk ejection reflex (“MER”),also referred to as the let-down reflex, is unintentionally triggered byvarious stimuli outside of nursing. The breasts can leak colostrum (themilk produced right around childbirth, which is rich in protein andantibodies) or the breastmilk that is produced after the early colostrumperiod. Unintentional triggers of the MER can be a woman thinking abouther baby, hearing a crying baby, or when her breasts becomeuncomfortably full—e.g., when a woman's baby starts going longer betweenfeedings, she is in a situation where she isn't able to nurse as oftenas she usually does, the baby starts sleeping through the night, or shegoes back to work and is not able to pump on a regular schedule.Sometimes, a warm shower can trigger a leak. And sometimes it can evenhappen while she is asleep. Some women experience leaking from onebreast while they are nursing their baby on the other breast. In fact, awoman's breasts can continue to leak for weeks, months, or even yearsafter she stops nursing.

Unfortunately, conventional bras do not help prevent the sweat and milkor colostrum from leaking out of the bra and onto the shirt because ofinadequate absorbing features. The leaking of milk, colostrum, or evensweat creates stains on the undergarments and the outer shirts or othergarments that are visible to the public. Additionally, especially duringlactation, a woman's breasts are tender. Conventional bras do not havethe soft padding that this tenderness requires, and thus areuncomfortable and/or hurt the woman's breasts while also not performingthe required absorbing feature.

While various pads and the like have been developed to respond tovarious other perspiration or moisture problems (e.g., underarm shields,sanitary napkins, etc.) none have been developed with enough flexibilityto address the needs of numerous varieties of women suffering frombreast perspiration and/or milk leakage. It is acknowledged that otherdevices have been developed for wear under the breast, but they arepurposefully relatively thick and bulky and either intended forcosmetic, uplift purposes. Other pads have been developed to absorbperspiration; however, they are either bulky, address mainly the areabetween the breasts, or address the entire under area of the breast fromunderarm to cleavage. Such pads are too bulky and obvious as to notprovide discretion of wearing by the user.

Further, there are pads that are available that can be inserted betweena woman's bra and her breasts during lactation. The available pads havelimited use because the leak-proof barrier is generally in contact withthe breast and nipples and may create irritation and soreness,particularly if the nipples stay too moist due to the wet pad beingdirectly in touch with the breasts without any other insulating layers.The thick absorbent pad is bulky and uncomfortable to wear.Additionally, the leak-proof barrier and thick absorbent pad may entrapmoisture within the undergarment, thereby increasing the risk of yeastinfections.

Additionally, some pads are disposable and not reusable and the cost ofpurchasing the pads may be an economic burden since it may add up to asignificant sum per year. Additionally, the waste produced isenvironmentally unsustainable. Moreover, the pads may be positionedincorrectly or sized incorrectly, which adds to their low efficacy anddiscomfort. Finally, the available pads are cumbersome to use since awoman must remember to put on and change her pads, or wash previouslyworn reusable ones, each time she has to use them.

Consequently, there is a need for undergarments, such as undershirts andbras, which eliminate the need for using disposable pads whileeffectively absorbing liquid flow and preventing sweat, leaked milk, andother bodily fluids from seeping through to the outer garment.Additionally, it is desirable that the undergarments provide stainprevention, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial management, and skincomfort. The present disclosure addresses these particular needs, aswill be described in greater detail below.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure,there is provided a moisture absorbing undergarment comprising a bodyhaving a front section shaped to cover at least a portion of a wearer'schest area. The body is configured to be maintainable on the wearer'supper body such that the at least a portion of the wearer's chest areais covered by the front section.

The front section of the body is provided with a multi-layerconstruction. In greater detail, such construction includes a firstlayer fabricated from a soft, pliable material adapted to be placeableinto contact with and provide a wicking effect drawing moisture from thewearer's chest area, a second layer disposed adjacent the first layerand fabricated from a material having prescribed moisture absorptionproperties, a third layer disposed adjacent the second layer andfabricated from an at least partially moisture blocking material, and afourth layer disposed adjacent the third layer and fabricated from amaterial which defines an exteriorly presented surface of the frontsection and has prescribed aesthetic and tactile characteristics. Thethird layer is preferably laminated to the fourth layer, and maycomprise a breathable, elastic polyurethane film. The second layer maybe secured to the third layer via a prescribed attachment modality asmaintains the second layer in substantially abutting contact with thethird layer. Similarly, the first layer may be secured to the secondlayer via a prescribed attachment modality as maintains the first layerin substantially abutting contact with the second layer.

In the undergarment, the first layer may comprise a knit fabric having afirst side positionable into contact with the wearer and a second sidefacing the second layer, with one or both of the first and second sidesbeing treated with one of a hydrophilic composition and a hydrophobiccomposition. Along these lines, one of the first and seconds sides ofthe knit fabric may be treated with the hydrophilic composition, and theremaining one of the first and second sides is treated with thehydrophobic composition.

It is contemplated that within the undergarment, the first layer and thesecond layer may collectively define at least one pocket therebetweensized and configured to removably accommodate an ancillary absorptionlayer adapted to supplement the moisture absorption properties of thesecond layer.

It is further contemplated that, in one exemplary iteration of theundergarment, the body may further define an opposed pair of sidesections generally positionable under respective ones of the wearer'sarms, and a back section extensible along the wearer's back, with eachof the front, side and backs sections is provided with the multi-layerconstruction. In accordance with a further contemplated refinement, thefront section may define a pair of cup portions adapted to accommodatethe wearer's breasts, a cradle portion which underlies the cup portions,and a center gore portion extending at least partially between the cupportions, with the cup, cradle and center gore portions each beingprovided with the multi-layer construction. With this particularconstruction, the first, second, third and fourth layers in each of thecradle and center gore portions may be operatively secured to each otherin a manner which effectively maintains them in substantially abuttingcontact with each other, with the first layer and the second layer ineach of the cup portions collectively define at least one pockettherebetween sized and configured to removably accommodate theaforementioned ancillary absorption layer adapted to supplement themoisture absorption properties of the second layer. Further, each of thecup portions may define a slot sized and configured to provide accessinto a respective one of the pockets.

The present disclosure is best understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These, as well as other features of the present disclosure, will becomemore apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1A is a front-elevational view of a first exemplary undergarmentconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a rear-elevational view of the undergarment shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a right side-elevational view of the undergarment shown inFIG. 1A, the left side-elevational view being a mirror image thereof;

FIG. 2 is a rear-elevational view of a second exemplary undergarmentconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A is a front-elevational view of a third exemplary undergarmentconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a rear-elevational view of the undergarment shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a front-elevational view of a fourth exemplary undergarmentconstructed in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4B is a rear-elevational view of the undergarment shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 5 is an exploded, cross-sectional view at least a portion of eachof the exemplary undergarments shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2-4, depictingthe multi-layer, moisture absorbing construction thereof;

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5, depicting anon-exploded, exemplary implementation of the multi-layer, moistureabsorbing construction particularly suited to accommodate the optional,removable insertion of an ancillary absorption layer;

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6A, but furtherdepicting the ancillary absorption layer as removably inserted into thepocket defined within the multi-layer, moisture absorbing construction;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 6A and 6B, butdepicting a first contemplated variant of the multi-layer, moistureabsorbing construction shown therein; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 6A and 6B, butdepicting a second contemplated variant of the multi-layer, moistureabsorbing construction shown therein.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detaileddescription to indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showing are purposes ofillustrating preferred implementations of the present disclosure only,and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIGS. 1A-1C depict a moistureabsorbing undergarment 10 constructed in accordance with a firstexemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The undergarment 10 is abra comprising a body 12. The body 12 includes a front section 14 shapedto cover at least a portion of a wearer's chest area. In greater detail,in the bra version of the undergarment 10 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, thefront section 14 defines several discrete regions. These regions includea spaced pair of cup portions 16 adapted to accommodate the wearer'sbreasts, a cradle portion 18 which underlies the cup portions 16, and acenter gore portion 20 which extends at least partially between the cupportions 16.

As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the body 14is configured to be maintainable on the wearer's upper body such thatthe at least a portion of the wearer's chest area is covered by thefront section 14. In the bra version of the undergarment 10, the body 14further defines an opposed pair of side sections 22 generallypositionable under respective ones of the wearer's arms, and a backsection 24 extensible along the wearer's back. In the undergarment 10,the back section 24 is further segregated into an opposed, generallyidentical pair of wing segments 26 which are releasably attachable toeach other. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, the releasableattachment of the wing segments 26 to each other is facilitated bycomplementary sets of hooks and eyes. However, those of ordinary skillin the art will recognize that other, alternative fastening modalities,including but not limited to complementary snaps, clasps, hook and loopfastener material, etc., may be used to facilitate the releasableattachment of the wing sections 26 to each other without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The body 14 is further maintained upon the wearer's upper body throughthe use of a pair of identically configured straps 28 extensible overrespective ones of the wearer's shoulders. As seen in FIGS. 1A-1C, eachof the straps 28 includes a first (front) end attached to a respectiveone of the cup portions 18 of the front section 14, and an opposedsecond (back) end attached to a respective one of the wing segments 26of the back section 24. Any one of numerous permanent or selectivelyreleasable of attachment modalities (e.g., stitching, buckles, clasps,etc.) may be used to facilitate the attachment of the straps 28 to theremainder of the undergarment 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B, in the undergarment 10, at leastthe front section 14 of the body 12 is provided with a multi-layerconstruction 30. It is contemplated that the form of the construction 30that will be integrated into the undergarment 10 is that shown in FIGS.6A and 6B, with FIG. 5 providing a more fully exploded view of thatconstruction 30 for illustrative purposes. In greater detail, theconstruction 30 includes a first layer 32 fabricated from a soft,pliable material adapted to be placeable into contact with and provide awicking effect drawing moisture from the wearer's chest area. In anexemplary implementation, the first layer 32 may comprise a knit fabrichaving a first side 34 positionable into contact with the wearer and anopposed second side 36. It is contemplated that one or both of the firstand second sides 34, 36 may be treated with one of a hydrophiliccomposition and a hydrophobic composition. Alternatively, one of thefirst and seconds sides 34, 36 of the first layer 32 may be treated withthe hydrophilic composition, with the remaining one of the first andsecond sides 34, 36 being treated with the hydrophobic composition.Further, the weave density of the knit fabric may be selected inaccordance with desired wicking efficacy, the density being correlatedto the size of moisture transmission paths defined through the knitfabric.

In addition to the first layer 32, the construction 30 comprises asecond layer 38 which is disposed adjacent the first layer 32, thesecond side 36 of the first layer 32 thus facing the second layer 38.The second layer 38 is preferably fabricated from a material havingprescribed moisture absorption properties. In an exemplaryimplementation, the second layer 38 is fabricated from a liquid ormoisture absorbing material (e.g., cotton, a cotton blend, an absorbentfoam, modal, viscose-based fiber, etc.) with a weight in the range offrom about 180-300 g/m². However, those of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize that other moisture absorbing materials provided indiffering weights may be used for the second layer 38 without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The construction 30 further comprises a third layer 40 disposed adjacentthe second layer 38. The third layer 40 is fabricated from an at leastpartially moisture blocking material. Also included in the construction30 is a fourth layer 42 which is disposed adjacent the third layer 40and fabricated from a material which defines an exteriorly presentedsurface of at least a portion of the front section 14, and hasprescribed aesthetic and tactile characteristics. As seen in FIGS. 5, 6Aand 6B, the third layer 40 is preferably laminated to the fourth layer42, though it is also contemplated that such third and fourth layers 40,42 need not necessarily be bonded to each other in the construction 30.In an exemplary implementation, the third layer 40 may comprise abreathable, elastic polyurethane film. Along these lines the compositestructure achieved by the lamination of the third and fourth layers 40,42 to each other, including materials which may be used for those thirdand fourth 40, 42 and techniques which may be employed to facilitatesuch lamination, can be selected in accordance with the teachings ofApplicant's U.S. Pat. No. 8,117,675 entitled “Waterproof Panty” andissued Feb. 21, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated herein byreference.

In the exemplary construction 30 as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, it iscontemplated that the second layer 38 will be secured to the third layer40 via a prescribed attachment modality as maintains the second layer 38in substantially continuous, abutting contact with the third layer 40.Such attachment modalities may include stitching or adhesives, thoughthe present disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particularmodality. Along these lines, it is also understood that the attachmentof the third and fourth layers 38, 40 to each other may be effectuatedsuch that the contact therebetween is intermittent rather thansubstantially continuous. It is further contemplated that theconstruction 30 may be implemented in the manner shown in FIG. 5 whereinthe third layer 38 is not attached or secured to the fourth layer 40,except at perhaps peripheral regions as may be necessary to complete thefabrication of the undergarment 10.

Though the third layer 38 is attached to the fourth layer 40 in theexemplary construction 30 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, it is contemplatedthat the first layer 32 will not be attached to the second layer 38, atleast in prescribed areas of the front section 14, and notably the cupportions 16 of the front section 14. In this regard, in the undergarment10, at least portions of the first and second layers 32, 38 collectivelydefine at least one pocket 44 therebetween which is sized and configuredto removably accommodate an ancillary absorption layer 46 adapted tosupplement the moisture absorption properties of the second layer 38. Inthe undergarment 10, the construction 30 integrated into the frontsection 14 defines two separate and distinct pockets 44 centrallypositioned within respective ones of the cup portions 16. Each pocket 44is sized and configured to accommodate a respective ancillary absorptionlayer 46.

In the undergarment 10, each ancillary absorption layer 46 takes theform of a generally circular absorption pad. While each pad and itscorresponding pocket 44 may have complementary circular configurations,sizes and shapes other than those shown in FIGS. 1A-1C are contemplatedto be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.Additionally, each pad and its associated pocket 44 need not necessarilyhave complementary configurations. The absorption layer 46 (e.g., pad)may be fabricated from materials having prescribed moisture absorptionproperties, including but not limited to those described above inrelation to the second layer 38. The material selection may be such thatthe absorption layer 46 may be subjected to repeated washings whenremoved from its corresponding pocket 44 without suffering rapid, unduedegradation. Conversely, the absorption layer 46 may disposable. As seenin FIG. 1B, the undergarment 10 is provided with a pair of elongateslots or slits 48 within respective ones of the cup portions 16, each ofwhich provides access to the interior of a respective one of the pockets44 to allow for the advancement of the absorption layer 46 into itsassociated pocket 44, and removal of the absorption layer 46 fromtherewithin.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a construction 30 a which is avariant of the construction 30, and may be integrated into theundergarment 10 in substitution for or in addition to the construction30. The sole distinction between the constructions 30, 30 a lies in thefirst layer 32 in the construction 30 a being secured to the secondlayer 38 via a prescribed attachment modality as maintains the firstlayer 32 in substantially continuous, abutting contact with the secondlayer 38, i.e., no pocket 44 is defined therebetween. Such attachmentmodalities may include stitching or adhesives, though the presentdisclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular modality.Along these lines, it is also understood that the attachment of thefirst and second layers 32, 38 to each other may be effectuated suchthat the contact therebetween is intermittent rather than substantiallycontinuous.

Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a construction 30 b which isanother variant of the construction 30, and may itself be integratedinto the undergarment 10 in substitution for or in addition to theconstruction 30. The sole distinction between the constructions 30, 30 blies in elimination of the second layer 38 in the construction 30 b suchthat the pocket 44 is defined between the first and third layers 32, 40.Though not shown, yet a further variant of the construction 30 iscontemplated wherein the construction 30 b is modified such that thefirst layer 32 is secured to the third layer 40 via a prescribedattachment modality (such as those described above) as maintains thefirst layer 32 in substantially continuous, abutting contact with thethird layer 40, i.e., no pocket 44 is defined therebetween.

As the chest/breast covering front section 14 of the undergarment 10 isthat which is arguably the most essential to providing the moistureabsorbing properties of the present disclosure, it follows that atypical implementation of the undergarment 10 will entail fabricating atleast the cup portions 16 from either the construction 30 (with the twopockets 44), the construction 30 a (with no pockets 44), theconstruction 30 b (with no second layer 38 but with two pockets 44), orthe aforementioned variant of the construction 30 b (with no secondlayer 38 and no pockets 44). However, it is also contemplated that otherparts of the undergarment 10 other than for the cup portions 16 may befabricated from some iteration of the multi-layer construction, albeittypically one without pockets 44 (such as the construction 30 a orvariant of the construction 30 b) to provide moisture/perspirationabsorbing and/or transmission blocking qualities. By way of example,areas of the undergarment 10 susceptible to perspiration exposure, suchas the cradle portion 18 which underlies the cup portions 16, the centergore portion 20, the side sections 22, and the back section 24 may, inaddition to the cup portions 16, be fabricated from any one or moremulti-layer construction iterations alone or in any combination.

Also, as is apparent from FIGS. 1A-1C, assuming several differentmulti-layer constructions are integrated into the undergarment 10 inprescribed locations thereof, it is contemplated that the exteriorlypresented layer included in each such construction (i.e., the layer 42)may differ based on aesthetic, tactile, or otherpreferences/considerations. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, the layer42 of the multi-layer construction used for the cup portions 16 maydiffer the layer 42 of the multi-layer construction used for the cradleportion 18, which in turn may differ from the layer 42 of themulti-layer construction used for the center gore portion 20.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a second exemplary undergarment200 which may be fabricated to include any of the aforementionediterations of the multi-layer construction in any of the aforementionedcombinations. In this regard, the undergarment 200 differs from theundergarment 10 described above only in that it comprises a nursing brawherein the cup portions 16 are releasably engaged to respective ones ofthe straps 28 as allows them to be selectively folded downwardly as theundergarment 200 is being worn. The straps are further attached torespective ones of pair of support panels 202 which are operative tomaintain the undergarment 200 on the upper body of the wearer wheneither or both of the cup portions 16 are detached from thecorresponding one of the straps 28.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, there is shown a third exemplaryundergarment 300 which may also be fabricated to include any of theaforementioned iterations of the multi-layer construction in any of theaforementioned combinations. In this regard, the undergarment 300differs from the undergarment 10 described above in that it comprises anursing sleep bra having a body 312 with a front section 314predominantly defined by a partially overlapping pair of cup panels 316in substitution for the cup portions 16 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2above. The body 312 also includes a back section 324, a pair of shouldersections 328 which are each adapted to span a respective one of thewearer's shoulders and define continuous transitions from respectiveones of the cup panels 316 to the back section 324, and an opposed pairof side sections 322 which also define continuous transitions fromrespective ones of the cup panels 316 to the back section 324. Each ofthese panels/sections is amenable to having any iteration of themulti-layer construction integrated therein. In the exemplary iterationshown in FIG. 3A, each of the cup panels 316 is fabricated in accordancewith the construction 30, and thus includes the pockets 44 whichaccommodate respective absorption layers 46/pads.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is shown a fourth exemplaryundergarment 400 which may also be fabricated to include any of theaforementioned iterations of the multi-layer construction in any of theaforementioned combinations. In this regard, the undergarment 400differs from the undergarment 10 described above in that it comprises asports bra having a body 412 with a front section 414 predominantlydefined by a breast covering region 416 in substitution for the cupportions 16 shown in FIGS. 1A-1C and 2 above. The body 412 also includesa back section 424, a pair of shoulder sections 428 which are eachadapted to span a respective one of the wearer's shoulders and definecontinuous transitions from the front section 414 to the back section424, and an opposed pair of side sections 422 which also definecontinuous transitions from the front section 414 to the back section424. Each of these sections is amenable to having any iteration of themulti-layer construction integrated therein. In the exemplary iterationshown in FIG. 4A, at least the breast covering region 416 of the frontsection 414 is fabricated in accordance with the construction 30, andthus includes the pockets 44 which accommodate respective absorptionlayers 46/pads. However, in the context of the undergarment 400 whereinthe breast covering region 416 is substantially continuous, it ispossible that a single pocket 44 may be defined therein whichaccommodates a single absorption layer 46/pad of suitable size to spanboth the wearer's breasts.

Though not shown, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize thatany of the aforementioned iterations of the multi-layer construction maybe integrated in any of the aforementioned combinations intocorresponding areas or regions of wearing apparel items other than forundergarments, including tank tops, T-shirts, etc., without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

In various alternative embodiments, the materials described in specificembodiments herein may be substituted by materials that would berecognizable as compatible by those skilled in the art. Further, anychemicals, compounds, stains, dyes, and other treatments or elements ofthe garment, its design, or the process by which it is created may besubstituted with other known materials recognized by those skilled inart, including but not limited to hydrophilic elements, hydrophobicelements, sealants, foams, and others. The various components orsubparts of any embodiment may also be substituted and used with othersubparts of other embodiments and various combinations thereof providedthe claimed functionalities or general purpose of the design ispreserved. Along these lines, all features, elements, components,functions, and steps described with respect to any embodiment providedherein are intended to be freely combinable and substitutable with thosefrom any other embodiment unless otherwise stated. Thus, this disclosureprovides exemplary embodiments, the scope of the present disclosure notbeing limited by these exemplary embodiments, with numerous variations,whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by thespecification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type ofmaterial and manufacturing process, being capable of implementation byone of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A reusable, moisture absorbing garment,comprising: a body comprising a front section and a back section shapedto cover a portion of a wearer's anatomy, the body being configured tobe independently maintainable on the wearer such that a prescribedportion of the wearer's anatomy is covered by the front section; atleast a portion of the front section of the body being provided with amulti-layer construction including: a first layer fabricated from asoft, pliable material adapted to be placeable into contact with andprovide a wicking effect drawing moisture from the wearer's anatomy; asecond layer disposed adjacent the first layer and fabricated from amaterial having prescribed moisture absorption properties; and a thirdlayer disposed adjacent the second layer and fabricated from an at leastpartially moisture blocking material; at least a portion of the backsection of the body being provided with a multi-layer constructionincluding: a first layer fabricated from a soft, pliable materialadapted to be placeable into contact with the wearer and provide awicking effect; and a second layer disposed adjacent the first layer andfabricated from an at least partially moisture blocking material.
 2. Thegarment of claim 1 wherein at least portions of the first and secondlayers in the back section are secured to each other via a prescribedattachment modality as maintains the first layer of the back section insubstantially abutting contact with the second layer thereof.
 3. Thegarment of claim 1 wherein at least portions of the second and thirdlayers in the front section are secured to each other via a prescribedattachment modality as maintains the second layer of the front sectionin substantially abutting contact with the third layer thereof.
 4. Thegarment of claim 3 wherein at least portions of the first and secondlayers in the front section are secured to each other via a prescribedattachment modality as maintains the first layer of the front section insubstantially abutting contact with the second layer thereof.
 5. Thegarment of claim 1 wherein at least portions of the first and secondlayers in the front section are secured to each other via a prescribedattachment modality as maintains the first layer of the front section insubstantially abutting contact with the second layer thereof.
 6. Thegarment of claim 1 wherein the first layer of each of the front and backsections comprises a fabric having a first side positionable intocontact with the wearer and a second side facing the second layer, withone or both of the first and second sides being treated with one of ahydrophilic composition and a hydrophobic composition.
 7. The garment ofclaim 6 wherein one of the first and seconds sides of the fabric istreated with the hydrophilic composition, and the remaining one of thefirst and second sides is treated with the hydrophobic composition. 8.The garment of claim 1 wherein the first layer and second layers in thefront section collectively define at least one pocket therebetween sizedand configured to optionally, removably accommodate an ancillaryabsorption layer adapted to supplement the moisture absorptionproperties of the second layer of the front section by absorbingmoisture transmitted through the first layer toward the second layer inthe front section.
 9. The garment of claim 1 wherein: the front sectiondefines a pair of cup portions adapted to accommodate the wearer'sbreasts, and a cradle portion which underlies the cup portions; and thecup and cradle portions are each provided with the multi-layerconstruction including the first, second and third layers.
 10. Thegarment of claim 9 wherein: the first, second, and third layers in thecradle portion are operatively secured to each other in a manner whicheffectively maintains them in substantially abutting contact with eachother; and the first and second layers in each of the cup portionscollectively define at least one pocket therebetween sized andconfigured to optionally, removably accommodate an ancillary absorptionlayer adapted to supplement the moisture absorption properties of thesecond layer of the front section by absorbing moisture transmittedthrough the first layer toward the second layer in the front section.11. The garment of claim 10 wherein each of the cup portions defines aslot sized and configured to provide access into a respective one of thepockets.